Maybe once upon a time
by LadyPalma
Summary: A look at how Isaac and Cruella would have been like in the Camelot storyline. Set in 5x02. Complete in 3 parts. Authella of course.
1. Chapter 1

**_Maybe Once upon a time_**

 **Part 1**

"And you are…?"

Cruella looked up in surprise at the unexpected question, only to find King Arthur's cordial smile in front of her. For a long moment she didn't know what to answer, but then a look around was enough to make a decision – a decision of words, a decision of acts, a decision of _identity_. She should have never been there in Camelot in the first place, but suddenly, after imprecations and complaints, she was finally seeing that something good could actually come out of it. If Regina could be the Savior, Emma the Dark One and Zelena just a maid, why can't she be someone different too?

"Ella... I am _Princess Ella_ …" she said eventually, trying to put on the most innocent smile she could fake.

And, by the flash of admiration in the man's eyes, she was successful in doing that, in spite of the black clothes and the little reassuring two-coloured hair. However, that was the only positive reaction she received and this was no surprise at all. The Charmings exchanged an astonished look, Regina didn't hide her heavy sigh full of annoyance, Belle hinted an ironic smile and Zelena seemed to start to become a little bit green. But the only thing that actually managed to affect her somehow, was the expression of disapproval and almost disgust that she caught on the former author's face.

Cruella listened to the other brief introductions and then followed in silence the group inside the castle. Normally she would have made some casual snarky comment, but in that moment there was something occupying her mind more than words or the general surrounding. In fact, she couldn't help but glance at Isaac from time to time and, every time she did, she found that same stern look directed to her. It did affected her indeed, but it was hard to say in which way: simple curiosity wasn't enough, anger was definetly too much and hurt wasn't something she could actually understand. Irritation, she decided in the end, and, with that convinction, took advantage of the moment of peace before separating ways to approach him.

"Don't you believe I could be a princess, darling?" she teased in a low voice for only him to hear.

Isaac studied her for a moment, but didn't hesitate more than that to answer. "Maybe once upon a time!" he exclaimed in fact with a small bitter smile.

He quickened his pace, reaching soon Belle and Grumpy and proceeding to walk with them; she remained still for some seconds instead, and only awakened from her confused thoughts when Regina abruptly reclaimed her attention.

Maybe hate wasn't the only thing he was feeling, maybe irritation wasn't the only reason why she was affected.

* * *

In spite of her new fake status, the glamour of the castle and the handsome knights she had the chance to see so far, Cruella was anything but thrilled about the upcoming night. She loved to dance, but surely a court dance wasn't what she had in mind; she wasn't really a princess after all and all that sentimentalism was already making her sick. A welcoming ball? It seemed more like a _charity_ ball to her!

With that mood, she spent the afternoon closed in a room with Zelena, until she decided that she had enough of that forced "psychopathic bonding" and decided to go walking around the place. It was unexpectedly a short walk though, since she found a reason of entertainment soon. Listening to the Charmings while trying to convince Regina to join the ball, and then seeing the prince as a dance teacher, was in fact enough to make an amused smirk appear on her lips and, when the music ended, she could not help but clap in a mocking way.

"Oh, how wonderful darling! Are you ready for your debut?" she asked ironically, completely revealing her so far unnoticed presence. "But as far as I heard, there still remains a problem: who will look after your dreadful little son in the meanwhile?" she pointed out then, moving her eyes to the golden couple, while taking a step forward into the room.

Snow and David both frowned for a moment, but it was the woman the first to have a proper reaction, approaching the new arrived with an intimidating demeanor. "Don't you dare think that you could harm my son!"

But Cruella just rolled her eyes. "I wasn't offering to be a baby-sitter, don't worry _snowflake_! And anyway, there wouldn't have been nothing bad in it, since I sadly can't do any harm anyway…"

The witch's fake innocent expression only made Mary Margaret's fighting mood intensify, but before she could reply, Regina gently grabbed her step-daughter's arm and placed herself between the two women. A big - and therefore scaring – smile appeared on her face, as she turned to look completely at the only actual villain in the room.

"Well, it's nothing you have to think about… Since you are coming to the ball as well!"

Cruella was caught by surprise and she couldn't help but widen her eyes in shock. "What?" she spat, as she was almost getting ready to complain further like a child.

But once again, the former Evil queen was faster and, ignoring completely the question, just snapped her fingers. A purple cloud of magic wrapped the other woman up and after a few seconds it disappeared, revealing a vision that made both the Charmings almost gasp in surprise and Regina smile proudly. As the mirror was allowing herself to see, Cruella was now wearing a sleeveless light blue dress, her two-cloured hair was tied up into an elegant bun and her face covered just with a soft touch of make-up. Maybe it was too princess-like for her taste, but she had to seem like a princess after all and, besides, the diamond earrings and necklace were worth the rest.

"Do I have to teach Princess Ella as well?" David broke the silence, with a teasing hint in the voice.

Cruella looked away from the mirror just the time to glare at him. "Oh no, _Prince Chiseled Chin_ , I already had a teacher, thanks but no thanks!"

She pronounced those words without really thinking and so, unwillingly, she found herself soon lost in her own thoughts - thoughts involving a certain foolish author once again. It was supposed to be a sentence just to make the prince shut up, but instead, now she was reliving in her mind all the memories of a far far night spent dancing for hours in the Murray's club. A heavy sigh escaped her lips, as she noticed, through the murror, an unusual trace of bitterness in her own eyes.

Oh no, irritation wasn't the only reason why Isaac could affect her at all.

* * *

 **Hello authellas, I'm back with a new short multi-chapters fic (it will be only three parts). I had this idea in mind and I just had to write it down... I just wish Isaac and Cru were in season 5 as well!*sigh* Anyway, hope you liked the idea and this first chapter. Reviews are always appreciated:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Maybe Once upon a time_**

 **Part 2**

Saying that Isaac Heller wasn't enjoying his time at the ball was an euphemism. The main room of the palace was arranged in the finest way possible, everyone was dressed up elegantly and the thing they were all wearing in common was a bright smile; he just couldn't share that same enthusiasm though, because he couldn't help but feel out of place. After all he was a writer, not a knight, and the only time he was actually a dancer was that long far night with Cruella. Sighing almost sadly in front of that shining happiness he couldn't be a part of, he just continued to play the spectator, while sipping red wine from a stem glass. It wasn't gin of course, but it was good, and it was a while since he had stopped being fussy when it came to alcohol anyway.

He was used to be an outsider in similar situations and he hadn't expect that one to be any different, but what came as a surprise was to realize that he wasn't the only one to feel gloomy. In fact, just a few steps from where he was, Belle and Grumpy were talking quietly and he couldn't help but overhear. Cleary, the focus of their conversation was the red rose that the woman was keeping always with her in a glassy case. It represented Rumplestiltskin's life in Storybrooke and it was hard to choose wheter considering the desperation of the fallen petals or the hope given by the still remaining ones.

Basically, it was like choosing to see the glass half empty or half full. As far as Isaac was concerned, his own wasn't full enough to endure all the night.

"Grumpy is right. I see hope too in that rose…" he spoke though all of a sudden, surprising the two and himself too.

Both the heroes looked up at him, but it was Belle the first to speak up. "Well, it is easy to say this when you are not living fear in first person. But you are used to just watch other people live and die, aren't you?" she asked unusually sharp, and maybe even sharper than she had intented to be.

"I am not just saying that I see hope that he wakes up" the former author replied, apparently untouched by the comment. "I see also hope that _when_ he wakes up, he'll be a different man, a good man who will be free of all his darkness"

Despite his face didn't show any concrete sign of hurt, Belle's expression softened immediately. "Thank you" she said and then somehow even offered him a tiny but sincere smile. "Maybe there is hope for you as well…"

Isaac frowned, not understanding the meaning behind that strange teasing. However, the young woman kept smiling and then, completely ignoring him, linked her arm with the dwarf and started to walk toward the centre of the hall. "Let's go dancing, Grumpy. I would have asked the author, but I think he may have already a dancing partner…" she said eventually and threw a long glance at her left.

Still confused, Isaac followed the direction of her look and it didn't take long for him to understand. A very familiar figure was standing on the opposite side of the room, alone and with a glem glass in hand – just like him. _Cruella_.

* * *

Curiosity, boredom and will to have a bit of fun: those were the excuses Isaac made to himself as he finally decided to reach the enchanting woman. However, he couldn't help but stare at her in melancholic admiration all the while and that was a feeling he failed miserably at both ignoring or concealing. She was undeniably beautiful and beautifully covering her dark soul once again, only that this time he knew the truth – and that was basically what the melancholy was about. He stopped at few steps from her and, despite liking the view, he didn't wait too much before speaking up; in time, he had learnt that lingering could be a deadly choice for his dreamy soul.

"So, have you lost interest in loud places or what?" he casually asked, revealig his presence.

Cruella slightly startled and immediately diverted her eyes from the dancing crowd she was absent- mindedly looking at. But once she recognized him, the usual bold confidence appeared back on her face.

"Maybe it is not loud enough" she replied in fact, greeting him with a little smirk.

Isaac merely shrugged, as he remained silent for a short while, just looking at her. For him, that palace was too loud even before that absurd ball, but didn't feel the need to tell her. "I am actually surprised that no one has asked you to dance. I thought you had an actual talent into charming men" he teased instead, sticking to his original plan.

"Oh, some asked me actually… But, you see darling, all these knights are so dull and these dances so traditional…" she retorted quickly, ending that sort of complain with a theatrical sigh.

The former author only nodded, strangely at loss of words. He didn't know where he could lead that conversation from that, or actually how far he was willing to take it. Choosing silence once again, he just brought his glass to his lips to finally empty it and looked away from her. Too focused in following the moves of one random couple – or at least too focused in pretending – he didn't noticed Cruella approaching her more and grabbing one of his arm.

"Tell me, Isaac, are _you_ still charmed by me?" she just asked with a trace of amusement, in front of his now surprised expression.

He blinked a few times and even swallowed, hating to show his own vulnerability to her. But on the other hand, she already knew his weak point and without even using a magic gauntlet. "Why do you even care?" he accused, suddenly in a sharp tone, unavoidably tensing.

But the witch just shook her head slowly and surprisingly let her expression soften. "Com'on, darling, I don't want to fight. Let's just get on the dancefloor and show this people how to properly dance!" she exclaimed then, tigheting the grip on his arm and starting to walk, almost dragging him along with her.

He opposed no resistance and willingly let her take the lead: she _did_ still charm him after all. Becoming now an active part of the ball, they stood one in front of the other; one of her hand moved on his shoulder and one of his ones went to rest on her hip, just as the dance required. However, before they could actually join the crowd, the music stopped and a general gasp reached their ears. The spell that was bouding them together was again broken, as Hell broke loose in the hall. All they saw, as they were forced to look at the centre of the room, was Robin Hood almost dying with Regina crying over him.

"Oh for Furs' sake!" Cruella muttered at herself, rolling her eyes. She had probably never hated an attempted murder as in that very moment.

* * *

 **Hello darlings, have you missed reading my stories? Well, I have missed writing them so here I am lol It's been a long while since I've updated this story - or anything new for Authella actually, but now I'm back and I will try to post the last part soon. I hope you are still interested, reviews would be nice:)**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Maybe Once upon a time_**

 **Part 3**

That evening had been a nightmare, then turned into a fragile dream for a moment, and finally ended into the nothing his life essentially consisted of. That was what Isaac Heller could not help but think, standing in his bedroom at the palace, after the abrupt interruption of the ball. Outside, the rest of the foreign guests were probably somewhere trying to save Robin Hood's life, but he had no role in that, especially now that without the power of his magical ink he was basically useless. He wasn't part of that story, but he didn't care. The only thing he was actually regretting was the dance he never got the chance to properly have with Cruella. For a moment, he dared to ask himself what would have happened if they actually danced and if they could have spent more time together. _If, if, if_.

What he didn't know was that similar questions were running through Cruella's mind as well, as he didn't know that she was closer than he could have imagined. In fact, she was pacing in front of his door with her usual irritation but yet also with a total unusual inward fear. The what-ifs had a slight different shade for her though; it wasn't anymore a matter of what would havehappened hours before, but actually a matter of what could still happen in that exact moment – _if_ only she decided to reduce their distance, phisically and emotionally.

The main difference between them, was that her questions were still all left unsolved and that she knew that it was up to her seeking for the answers. Therefore, probably won over by her own frustration, she finally found herself knocking on the door, certain to be opened but stil not certain of what exactly do next. In fact, as predicted, he didn't hesitate much before opening the door, but then they remained for some moments just staring at each other in mutual surprise.

"Isaac, you have no book in hand, I am almost shocked" she started eventually, moving her eyes to his hands and, while doing that, casting a long look through all his figure. Usually a comment like that would have came out a bit sharp, but in that moment her irony only sounded somewhat weak.

As she spoke, he recovered from the surprise and regained the use of speech as well. "I didn't have the chance to bring many books with me. But maybe I could borrow something here from King Arthur's library…"

She nodded absent-mindedly. "Of course. Medieval legends and chivalric romance: how exciting!" she exclaimed in fake enthusiasm and, this time, her new attempt of irony was more successful.

Isaac smirked, but it was more for her attitude rather than because she agreed with her. Actually, he did love medieval settings and beside, had for example a soft spot for Italian _Dolce Stil Novo_ poetry; honestly, looking now in her eyes, a particularly beloved line from Cavalcanti was appearing in his mind: " _You do breach mine eyes and touch the heart_ ". He could probably recite it all and even dedicate it explicitly to her, but he didn't. After all, despite the ambiguous premise, literature wasn't the topic they really wanted to discuss and they both knew that.

"Cruella, what are you really doing here?" he asked in fact, eventually.

The answer came out easily than Cruella herself would have expected, along with a casual shrug and an uncharacteristically almost fond look. "You still owe me a dance, darling."

He blinked, slightly taken aback, but soon she gave him other reasons to be surprised. In a matter of seconds, she entered the room without being formally invited in and, once she was at the centre of it, she snapped her firgers to use her magic, making an old radio appear and with that a familiar jazz motif start. His lips curved into a smile immediately recognizing the song as the very first they had danced together to, and that was not the only thing he was smiling for. He hesitated a bit before joining her, but just in order to take a proper look at her at some distance now: she was still dressed up as a princess, but the smirk on her face was mischievous and her chignon was a bit messy. That last detail was the one to mainly capture his attention and suddenly he knew what to do. He approached her slowly and, when he reached for her, just let one of his hands move behind her neck with the precise aim to let her two-colored hair fall loose on her shoulders.

"Maybe I am tired of dancing with a fake angel" he just whispered in explanation, before moving his hands around her waist.

She didn't answer but only nodded and chuckled softly, showing a rare real satisfaction. She was reading those words as a total acceptance of who she was, an acceptance that she didn't know she had been longing for. So, she placed her hands around his shoulders and started to let herself be guided by him for what theorically was their second dance, but that actually was their real first one. They danced and danced, that song and others, letting their bodies touch but all the while remaining silent; they didn't speak because there was no need to.

They couldn't possibly know how that adventure would have ended, if they would have finally left Camelot or, more simply, what would have happened between them from that. What they knew for certain was that something was changing and that that dance was a new beginning.

 _Maybe it was their own once upon a time._

 **THE END**

* * *

 **It took me much more time than expected to finish this story, but it is finally over! I was really happy to read the reviews for the second part and I hope that you'll let me know what you think of this last chapter as well! See you soon with other stories, because even thought I have left Authella aside for a while, this precious ship is still on my mind;)**


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